Sore ankle not a problem as the Grizzlies find a way to win after blowing a big lead against Torrey Pines

With a 10-point lead after three quarters just a memory, the Mission Hills High boys basketball team trailed for the first time.

As the clock ticked off the final seconds, point guard Kibret Woldemichel, who is still recovering from a sprained ankle, went to the basket when he saw his first option, 7-footer Kameron Rooks, double-teamed once again.

Woldemichel made the right move as he was fouled, got the shot off and wound up with a three-point play with four seconds remaining to give the No. 7-ranked Grizzlies a 55-53 nonleague victory Friday night over No. 10 Torrey Pines.

“I was creating off myself,” Woldemichel said. “I was really trying to get a foul, and the ref gave me the continuation.

“I saw it go in. I was more worried he wouldn’t give me the basket.”

His final heroics gave Woldemichel just seven points for the game but helped negate a 20-9 run by the Falcons (9-6) in the final quarter.

Mission Hills (14-2) entered the fourth period with a 43-33 lead thanks to a 15-for-23 effort from the floor in the second and third quarters.

Six points by Sam Worman, who led the Falcons with 16 points, and Chris Kurylo, who finished with 10 points, led the charge back.

Torrey Pines did not hit back-to-back baskets in the game until the final two minutes when Brandon Cyrus hit a 3-pointer and Worman hit a hook shot to slice the deficit to 52-50.

That set the stage for Dominic Hovasse’s 3-pointer for a 53-52 lead with 28 seconds to play.

“I knew they’d make a run, especially in their own building,” Mission Hills coach Curtis Hofmeister said. “They made some terrific shots down the stretch.”

Rooks, who verbally committed to Cal this week and was held scoreless in the final quarter, led the winners with 20 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks.

“It was really important to get a win,” Hofmeister said. “We had a good week coming into the game and we almost let it slip away.”